The Bodies In The Body Farm
by jemb
Summary: Booth and Brennan, a new case and an unusual crime scene. Fluff filled case file for your enjoyment. Updated with CHPT 6.
1. Chapter 1

_**So this is my new story. It's a fluff filled case file. As always, I encourage you to leave me a review of your thoughts. I love to hear what you guys out there think. **_

Dr Temperance Brennan, renowned forensic anthropologist and author, was seated on the floor in front of the couch in her office at the Jeffersonian Institute. What seemed like mountains of papers were strewn around her and a box of animal crackers sat open beside her leg within easy reach. As she scrutinised an official report on a recent find in Asia that she was involved in, her free reached into the box and pulled a cracker out. Without taking her eyes from the report Temperance bit into the cracker but almost choked on it when a voice startled her.

"I go on vacation for one week and you resort to crackers for dinner?" Special Agent Seeley Booth strode into Brennan's office and made his way to her, flopping down on the couch. She coughed to clear her throat and put down the paper she was examining.

"How was your vacation?" Brennan asked as she pushed herself up onto the couch beside him.

"You know, a week of fun, sun and relaxation." He looked at her and the quizzical expression on her face. "Right, I forgot. On your vacations you like to ID dead bodies." He spoke seriously but broke into a grin when he saw the petulant look on her face.

"I brought you a present." He sang, instantly changing the mood in the room. Brennan noticed for the first time the small brown paper bag in his hand. She looked at the bag then at him.

"Why?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Because that's what friends do. They bring back gifts from their vacation for their friends. A token to show they were thinking of them when they were away."

"You thought about me?" Brennan blurted out. Booth was momentarily stunned. _Boy did I think about you_ he swallowed hard.

"Well, you know." Booth shrugged, trying to brush it off. "Here." He thrust the bag at her in an attempt to get out of answering her question. She seemed to accept that he wasn't going to answer and instead turned her attention to her gift. He stared at her intently as she opened the bag and peered inside.

Booth felt a small flutter in his stomach when he saw Temperance's eyes light up as she pulled her gift from the bag. Her eyes grew wider as she was fully able to see the contents of the bag.

"Booth." She exhaled. Held in her hands was a necklace; a thick round leather strap with a large circular bronze pendant attached to it. The pendant had an intricate native Mexican design engraved on it. "It's beautiful." She said softly as she examined the pendant more closely.

"Thank you." She finally lifted her eyes to meet his and she saw how his eyes were sparkling. She knew that Booth was pleased he had picked out something she would like.

"It's nothing Bones, just a token from Mexico." He shrugged. Her next actions took him by surprise though. She swiftly removed the beaded necklace she was already wearing and began to put on his gift on her. She struggled to clasp it together at the back with the small metal fixing so Booth leaned forward and slid his hands behind her neck. Trying not to let his feelings show, Booth concentrated on fastening the necklace and not how close his lips were to Brennan's or how if he moved just an inch or so to the left he could brush those full lips with his. Finally, the necklace snapped closed and Booth pulled back, accidentally on purpose running his fingers through her soft hair. Brennan's hand rose to feel the pendant on her chest as she dragged her eyes up to once again meet his.

"I really love it Booth." She smiled.

"Don't get too gushy on me Bones. You might consider this a bribe."

"A bribe?" she queried.

"Cullen called when I was on my way over." Booth rose to his feet. "We have a new case."

"Are you even back at work officially yet?" Brennan asked. As she rose to her feet she retrieved the box of crackers from the floor.

"No but when has that ever stopped Cullen." Booth laughed lightly. "And for God's sake Bones, loose the animal crackers." He reached for them and snatched the box out of her hand.

"I was hungry." Brennan made a futile attempt to get them back but Booth held the box high above his head.

"I'll buy you dinner on the road." He waggled his eyebrows and grinned.

"On the road?" she asked curiously, lowering her hands and ending her attempt to get the cracker box back.

"We're going to Virginia." He flashed his eyebrows and smirked. "Come on Bones, you've had a week to catch up on your paperwork, don't give me some excuse about being busy." He could see the wheels in her head turning.

"I wasn't going to say that." She planted her hands on her hips. "I was simply going to tell you I have to make a call before we leave." Her lips formed a pout and Booth felt his heart flutter.

"A call?"

"I have…a dinner." Brennan admitted. "I need to reschedule." Booth immediately stopped smiling. _She has a dinner? What kind of dinner? Is she dating someone?_

"Who's the lucky guy?" he tried to sound light hearted.

"No one you know." Brennan smiled widely and walked around Booth to her desk. _He thinks I'm seeing someone_ she grinned on the inside. Making Booth jealous was one of those games she swore she would never play. But he was too easy to do it with and it felt good to know he got so worked up when there was another man in her life. With Booth pretending he wasn't paying any attention, Brennan picked up her phone and dialled a number.

"Hi, it's Temperance. I'm afraid something has come up and I can't make our dinner. Call me back and we'll reschedule." She put the phone down and lifted her eyes to look at Booth. There was no mistaking the jealousy in his eyes and for a moment Brennan felt guilty. But as soon as she met his eyes, whatever had been showing in them disappeared and he returned to looking like he always did.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll get my things." She nodded.

"Not a problem. I have to pay the squints a visit anyway." He grinned and took off out the office. It was only as he left that

Brennan noticed him picking up a large brown bag which he had obviously left at the door when he came in. She wondered what was in the bag and what he had to see her team about.

XxXxXxXxX

Booth strode out to the centre platform where Angela, Hodgins and Zach were working. Well perhaps working wasn't quite the right way to describe what they were doing. Angela was speedily sketching on a large artists pad while Zach and Hodgins appeared to be arguing over a set of remains.

"Booth, nice to see you. You look well rested." Angela greeted him with a smile and hug when he was standing on the platform beside her.

"Welcome back man." Hodgins nodded, giving Zach a shove and mumbling something about 'personal space'.

"How was your vacation?" Zach asked. Booth couldn't help but notice how Zach asked exactly the same question as Brennan did. Sometimes he thought Zach was turning out a little too like his partner than he should.

"It was great." Booth replied. "Mojitos by the pool, hot summer sun…" Booth raised his eyes to the ceiling as he recalled his time away. Zach followed his gaze, wondering what Booth was looking at.

"What's in the bag?" Angela asked as she leaned forward to try and peer into the bag.

"Oh this? Just a few things I brought back for you." Booth grinned and looked at the squints to see the shocked expressions on their faces. He knew this would catch them off guard.

It had occurred to him during his vacation that in the last few months he had spent more of his time, working or otherwise, with the squints than he had his FBI colleagues or other friends. Without realising it, he had come to regard them as friends and not just his partners' team. What had truly surprised him was how that made him feel. A year ago he would have been worried that his closest friends were a bunch of squints but now he was proud to call them his friends, strange as they could be.

"Zach." Booth reached into the bag and pulled out a traditional straw sombrero, passing it to Zach who looked quite stunned.

"A sombrero." He stated. "In Mexican society, peasants wore sombreros made from straw while the wealthy wore ones made of felt. It was a status symbol. They are rarely worn in modern society however, except in traditional festivals and celebrations." Zach nodded. "Thank you Agent Booth." Zach began examining the sombrero and the design woven around the rim.

"It's just a hat." Booth shrugged to maintain an air of nonchalance whilst inside feeling pleased that the young scientist seemed to like the gift. "Hey Hodgins." Booth passed Hodgins a glass container with a cactus inside.

"Wow, a Strombocactus disciformis." Hodgins studied the rare species of cactus with bright pink flowers emerging from the top of the bulb shaped plant. "How did you get this into the country?" he asked in awe.

"I work for the Government. A badge gets you a lot of things." Booth laughed. He could see Hodgins' mind spinning as the bug man thought about bureaucracy, red tape and how easily an FBI Agent could get around it.

"And for the lovely Angela." Booth reached back into the bag for one last gift and pulled out a rolled piece of canvas. He handed it to her and watched as she delicately unrolled the canvas to reveal a stunning native Mexican painting, the subject of which was a beautiful landscape in the south of the country.

"This is a Maria Izquierdo piece!" she exclaimed. "I love it!" Angela exclaimed before throwing her arms around Booth.

"You guys don't get souvenirs very often do you?" Booth chuckled as Angela hung onto him.

Across the lab, Brennan had watched the whole exchange. She smiled widely as she saw that Booth had brought gifts for her friends too, and ones that they would truly appreciate. That meant he had thought of them too. She felt her heart warm as she recalled how Booth had initially hated working with her colleagues because he didn't understand them but how, over the last two years, all that seemed to have changed. Judging by this, he did indeed consider them his friends; friends he knew well based on their reactions to their souvenirs.

"Hey Bones!" Booth spotted Brennan at the door to her office as he stepped away from Angela. "Let's go." He left the squints and jogged down the stairs to meet Brennan as she strode across the floor with a large bag in her hand, the heels on her boots making a loud clicking noise as she walked.

"Angela, Booth and I are going to…" she turned to Booth, realising he only told her they were going to Virginia.

"South Hill, Virginia." Booth told her. Brennan checked her watch and given driving time and examination of the crime scene, it was unlikely they would return to D.C that night.

"Right, we'll be gone overnight." She told Angela.

"Maybe longer." Booth added with a suggestive flash of his eyebrows.

"I'll call you when I know more." Brennan added before sending Booth a glare of disapproval for his innuendo.

"Okay Sweetie." Angela waved the pair off then turned to Zach and Hodgins. "You know what this means." She groaned.

"We're going to be working tonight." Hodgins rolled his eyes. "And I was looking forward to our night out." Angela stepped forward and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, disappointed herself that they would miss out on dinner and dancing.

"I didn't have plans." Zach shrugged.

**_If you can spare a minute, send me a review and let me know what you liked (or didn't if that be the case). Constructive criticism is welcome, flames are not :)_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**I've tried to create a balance between case related stuff and BB fluff in this chapter. It's the first time I have really tried to write true scientific speak (I did research and everything) and I'd appreciate if you could let me know what you thought of it and if there's anything I can improve for the next chapter. **_

In dimming light of the evening, Booth trudged purposely over the uneven forest floor, his boots snapping small twigs and disturbing the earth. He held one hand over his mouth and nose in a futile attempt to mask the smell of decomposing flesh while the other guided the flashlight which was providing extra light in the gloomy forest. It seemed like everywhere Booth turned there was a body; A half naked woman partially buried under leaves and dirt just beginning to decompose, the skeletal remains of a person dangling from a tall tree, an old man slumped against the inside window of a rusty old pick-up. Booth couldn't help but shudder.

"It's scientific research Booth." Brennan smiled beside him as she took in the repulsed look on his face.

"What sane person would let scientists dump their body out here and watch it rot away?" he shook his head.

"A lot of the subjects are unclaimed remains from medical examiners offices but some people donate their bodies for research with the intention of helping to develop and improve forensic science." Brennan shrugged as she strode a little ahead of Booth. "The research gathered here helps to more accurately establish time of death and the effects of the weather, wildlife and insects on a body." she trailed off. "As a federally funded facility, a lot of this research is used by your colleagues."

"Yeah, well I still want to be buried in a big wooden coffin in the ground like normal people."

"The bugs still get to you there Booth." Brennan smirked. She couldn't see Booth's face but she knew he was rolling his eyes. As she continued to stride ahead of Booth, she noticed the glowing lights ahead indicating where the crime scene was. As she changed direction slightly, Booth jogged a few steps and fell into step beside her.

"The remains were found in a pond by one of the researchers." Booth explained. "A team was apparently 'placing' another research subject." Brennan saw him shudder again. "They were using cameras to ensure their subject was in the right spot when they noticed the remains. According to the director of the facility, there shouldn't have been any there."

"I spent a few weeks working in a body farm in Louisiana when I was a grad student for a research project. Each body is tagged and monitored so the data gathered can be accurately recorded and reported." Brennan explained. "If the Director says the remains weren't part of the research then he's right." she nodded knowingly.

XxXxXxXxX

As they drew closer to the crime scene, Brennan's attention was drawn to a skeleton lying on the ground. As she passed it, she couldn't help but make an instant evaluation of the skeletal remains lying out in the open. _Male, 35 to 40 years old_. She smiled and carried on until she and Booth were at the cordoned off area, brightly lit by several tall spotlights.

"Agent Booth, Dr Brennan. Thank you for coming." A tall man in his fifties steps forward. "I'm Sam Wilson, Director of the Virginia Hills Body Farm." For the third time in less than fifteen minutes, Booth shuddered. The words' Body Farm' just didn't sit right with him.

"Have any of the remains been retrieved?" Brennan asked as she snapped on a pair of latex gloves and slipped effortlessly into science mode.

"No, we felt it would be prudent to wait for you and Agent Booth." Wilson nodded. "Given the circumstances of the find, we didn't want to risk destroying potential evidence." Brennan nodded; for once glad to meet someone who understood the importance of preserving a crime scene properly. Local law enforcement officers frequently compromised remains whilst looking for other evidence or by attempting to move them.

"I'd like to take a look at the remains. Do you still have the camera set up?" Brennan asked.

"I do. Mark will show you." Director Wilson indicated to a young man with dark brown hair and glasses, standing around fifteen feet away, close to the edge of the pond.

"Booth, can you set up the laptop, I'd like to connect the camera to Zach back at the lab." Brennan turned to her partner and received a nod of acknowledgement.

Only a few minutes later Brennan was standing by the edge of the pond with her arms folded across her chest, watching a small black and white screen whilst Mark stood in the pond, directing the camera. Booth stood at her side holding the laptop so she could converse with her assistant.

"Zach, are you getting this?" Brennan spoke. There was a brief crackle then Zach's distinctive voice came out through the computer.

"Yes Dr Brennan. Definitely human."

"Skull size indicates male." Brennan stated.

"I concur." Zach's voice agreed.

"Can you pan down, I'd like to take a look at the pelvis." Brennan called to Mark.

"Sure Dr Brennan." The young man shifted his feet and moved the camera further down the skeleton.

"Pubis bone also suggests male." Zach spoke.

"Zach, have Angela get a list of local missing persons, male, from the FBI. We can narrow it down further when I have an approximate age." She turned her attention to Director Wilson.

"I'd like to extract the remains as soon as possible." Brennan glanced back at the murky waters of the pond. She knew it would take some time and after a long drive out to the facility, she wanted to get finished as soon as possible so she could get some sleep.

"We have the equipment needed here." Wilson gestured to a stack of equipment at the edge of the pond brought from the main facility by two researchers. "And you can use one of the labs in our facility for your examination." He added.

XxXxXxXxX

Twenty minutes later Brennan had changed into a waterproof jumpsuit, chest high waders and had pulled her hair into a tight bun to keep it out of her face while she worked. Booth stood at the edge of the pond watching, with only a hint of a grimace on his face, as she worked with two researchers to pull the remains from the floor of the pond. Using the camera and several instruments that Booth thought looked like torture implements, bone after bone was brought up from the sediment at the bottom of the pond. Brennan stood hunched over, waist deep in the cold bacteria infested water as each piece was brought up from its watery grave. Despite the waterproofs, she could feel the chill of the water infiltrating her system and she knew it would take a long hot shower to get her warm again.

Booth left the scene for some time to speak with the Director in private, and to check out the paperwork which confirmed the remains should not have been there. The last thing he needed was to find out this was the result of a clerical error. When he returned it was just gone midnight and the remains were laid out on a blue plastic tarp, all 206 of them having been retrieved from the pond. Brennan was crouched beside the tarp making her initial evaluation, vocalising her findings to Zach via the computer link.

"Caucasian." She nodded. "Fusion of the epiphysis on the long bones puts age between twenty three and twenty eight. Dental eruptions agree." She spoke. "There appears to be some damage to the skull, ulna and humerus." She scrutinised the arm bone for a moment. "Zach?" She waited for the young scientist to respond.

"Yes Dr Brennan?"

"Have Angela narrow down the missing persons list to Caucasian males in the determined age range. I'll secure the remains overnight and make a thorough examination in the morning to establish cause of death. I'll send the remains and soil and water samples to you tomorrow." Brennan's voice was heavy with exhaustion and as Booth approached her with Director Wilson a step behind, he could see in her face just how tired she was.

"You done here Bones?" he asked. He was anxious to get to out of the place that made him feel so uncomfortable.

"Yes." She glanced up at him then rose to her feet a little stiffly. She pulled off the thick gloves she was wearing and ran a hand down her face. "Director Wilson, I'd appreciate if the remains could be secured in the lab overnight. I'll be able to take a closer look at them in the lab with increased lighting." Booth already knew she was exhausted but judging by the slight tremble across her whole body she was also very cold. Then again, spending four hours waist deep in cold dirty water would do that to any person.

XxXxXxXxX

It was just after two in the morning when Booth finally pulled his SUV into the parking lot of the Crossroads Inn. It had taken some time to get the remains back to a lab at the body farm and secured. They then faced a half hour drive to find their motel. Only one light lit the small complex, located in what seemed like the middle of nowhere.

"Hey, we're here." Booth tapped Brennan on the arm, stirring her from a light doze.

"Hmmm." She mumbled as she sat up, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"I'll go get out room keys, you wait here." He smiled. She merely nodded and relaxed back into the chair. The long drive to the scene combined with the hours spent retrieving the remains had taken its toll and she was looking forward to crawling into a soft warm bed and sleeping as long as she could.

When Booth returned to the SUV, Brennan was sitting forward, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to wake up enough to get to her room. He jumped back into the drivers' seat and turned the engine on.

"Our rooms are round back." He told her as he reversed the car and slowly moved the vehicle behind the reception building. He spotted the structure the night manager told him about. It was a small block of four rooms; two on the ground floor, two on the top. There were two vehicles already parked outside and Booth pulled his SUV into one of the two remaining spots. He was quick to get out and moved to the rear of the SUV to retrieve his and Brennan's bags. She moved slower, trudging towards the paving outside the block with a distinctive heaviness in her step.

"Top floor Bones." Booth called as he slung both bags over his shoulder. Brennan audibly groaned and began a slow climb up the metal staircase. Booth noticed how her hand moved around to the base of her spine as she climbed. Obviously four hours spent bent double in the pond had done a number on her back. But Booth chose not to mention it, knowing from past experiences when she was quiet like this, she was in no mood for comments and if he chose to speak it would only end in a lecture from Brennan about his over protective concern.

At the top of the stairs, Brennan waited for Booth to catch up. It didn't take long as he was only a few steps behind her. She leaned against the railing as he pulled a key from his jacket pocket and opened the first door. He stepped back and Brennan slowly moved forward and past him, walking inside the room. She flicked on the lights and kicked off her shoes as Booth came in behind her and dropped their bags on the ground.

"What time do you want to get to the lab tomorrow?" he asked. Brennan didn't reply right away. Instead she walked forward and flopped face down on the bed, only her feet, clad in thick black socks, dangling off the end. She mumbled something but Booth couldn't work out what it was.

"What's that Bones?" he grinned and walked over to the bed, sitting down beside her, facing the headboard. She lifted her head and turned to look at him.

"Nine I guess." She then groaned. "I think I pulled my Latissimus dorsi." She mumbled and turned her head back and buried it in the comforter. What Booth did next he couldn't help; it was like he was being drawn to her like she were a magnet and he a piece of metal. As his hand moved closer towards her he knew he was about to cross a line but he couldn't stop. His hand came to a rest on her lower back and he began to massage her sore muscles through the fabric of her shirt. He had no idea what a Latissimus dorsi was but he knew it was somewhere on her back and he wanted to make her feel better. A soft sigh escaped Brennan's lips and his other hand joined in since she wasn't protesting his ministrations. Skilfully, Booth began to massage Brennan's back, moving his hands slowly up towards her shoulders.

"Better?" he whispered. Brennan moaned softly and nodded her head slightly. _I can't believe she's letting me do this_ Booth thought as he worked the knots out of her shoulders and the base of her neck. Slowly, his hands moved down her back again as he continued the massage. He worked in silence, afraid that if he spoke he would break whatever spell Brennan was under that allowed him to touch her in such an intimate manner. Finally though, Booth knew he had to stop so he slowed his movements until he stopped the massage completely.

"Get some sleep Bones." He told her as he rose to his feet. She mumbled something but didn't move from her position on the bed. Booth backed up to the door and picked up his bag before stepping out of the room. After closing the door behind him he took a huge gulp of air. The last ten minutes had been like a dream to him. _How am I supposed to sleep now?_

**_Please leave me a review, I love to get feedback as it inspires me to write more._**


	3. Chapter 3

_**In this chapter the case develops further and there's a smidgeon of BB fluff for you shippers out there. Please continue to review, your comments mean a lot and help me improve for future chapters.**_

When Booth knocked on Brennan's door the following morning, he expected her to be up and around fresh as a daisy. He learned a long time ago that Brennan was definitely a morning person. Well, she actually seemed to be a morning, day and night person since she rarely appeared tired unless she'd been working non stop on a case. That was one of the things he loved about her; her ability to look beautiful even when she'd been up for forty eight hours straight working to help him put a killer behind bars. She didn't disappoint him that morning. Only a few moments after he knocked, she pulled the door open and greeted him with a bright smile and sparkle in her eyes.

He didn't know that the sparkle in her eyes was from her recalling the feeling of his hands on her back the previous night when he was massaging her. She could have stopped him, she probably should have. But the moment she felt his strong hands on her back, easing her tense and aching muscles, it felt too good. So she had allowed him to touch her in a manner she would never before have allowed. Temperance had found over the time they had been partners that Booth stirred feelings in her she usually kept buried deep inside. Whilst a huge part of her was scared by those emerging feelings, the part inside her that craved love embraced them and held onto every moment his presence graced her with.

Booth stared at Brennan and how her auburn hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, perfectly framing her well structured face. She was wearing a very tight fitting, cleavage enhancing, black tank top under an open white short sleeved shirt, loose fitting army style pants and a pair of sneakers.

"Morning Bones." Booth returned her grin and as he let his eyes travel up and down her again, he decided that he liked it when Brennan dressed down. She usually wore formal clothing and boots or shoes, only dressed down by her chunky jewellery. He could only recall seeing her dressed down like this once before and that was the day he picked her up from the airport after her trip to Guatemala and convinced her to work with him again. She had resisted until he caved and gave her full participation in the cases. It was the only way he could bring her back to his side after the disaster that was their first time working together. It was in that moment on the sidewalk, with Brennan staring him down in her 'eco warrior' outfit, that their unique partnership was born. At the time, Booth had no idea that it would change his life in such a dramatic fashion.

Brennan noticed that Booth's gaze was no longer on her but looking through her, like he was lost in thought. She coughed then spoke, hoping to bring him back.

"I just spoke with Angela. She's sending me the missing persons reports matching the sex, age and race of the victim." Brennan's words snapped Booth from his thoughts and he quickly composed himself.

"Good morning to you too, Booth. Did you sleep well?" he spoke sarcastically.

"Oh please." Brennan rolled her eyes and grabbed her jacket as she stepped out of the room onto the landing beside Booth. "You ready to go?" she asked when he made no move to head down the stairs.

"Uh sure, yeah, let's go." Booth snapped out of his revere, and led the way to the SUV.

XxXxXxXxX

A little over an hour later Brennan was almost finished her examination of the remains pulled from the pond the night before.

"I cannot be certain but I'd estimate the remains have been in the water at least 6 months. Hodgins will be able to confirm." Booth took a few steps over to her and hovered close as she scrutinised the remains.

"Uh, there are fractures to the right ulna and humerus." She tried to ignore the feelings his close proximity created and pointed to the areas on bones. Booth leaned in from behind to get a better look and Brennan inhaled sharply when she felt his warm breath caress her neck. Side-stepping away from him, Temperance pointed to the victim's right leg. "The left patella is damaged, possibly from the impact of a blunt object. Zach will be able to establish the type of weapon used. And here…" she moved back to the skull, lifted it in her hands and pointed to a feint line. "Fractured cranium." She said definitively.

"So, what does this mean?" Booth asked. Despite all the time spent with Brennan when she worked, he still did not understand what a lot of her findings meant.

"I don't believe these injuries were the cause of death but they suggest the victim was in a fight and most likely incapacitated when death occurred." She explained. In the beginning, Brennan hated having to explain her findings in layman's terms for Booth. She felt if he was going to work on these cases he should know more about how the victims were killed. But it didn't take long for her to realise that it wasn't necessary; that's what he had her for. That was what she brought to the partnership. She even took some pleasure in showing she knew something he didn't. After all, he frequently poked fun at her for her lack of pop culture knowledge.

"Right, so we can assume this was a murder then." Booth clapped his hands together.

"I've already arranged to have the remains along with water and soil samples couriered to the Jeffersonian. Zach and Hodgins can perform a more definitive analysis and give me an accurate time of death and the weapon used to cause the injuries. Angela should be able to give us a face; the skull is perfectly intact. We can then compare that to the list of missing persons for the area." She nodded and replaced the skull on the silver examination table. "We might get lucky and find a match." She returned her attention to the remains and began to prepare them for transport.

"I'll call Cullen, let him know we'll be here for a while longer." Booth nodded and stepped away to give Brennan the space she needed to pack the remains. As he pulled his cell from his jacket pocket to call his boss, he noticed Director Wilson entering the room, his face solemn.

"Uh, Agent Booth." He began.

"Director Wilson." Booth greeted him, holding off making his call.

"I'm afraid we've made another discovery." Director Wilson said with a heavy heart. "I had a team go out this morning and perform a cursory sweep of the farm to make sure no one had tampered with any of the subjects. They found another set of remains that isn't known to be part of the research."

"Where were they found?" Brennan asked as she pulled off her gloves, her attention immediately taken away from the current set of remains before her.

"About five hundred yards from the pond where we found him, buried in an open space." the Director looked at the remains on the table and hung his head.

"This is not good. Not good at all." Booth shook his head.

"Do you think we have a serial killer?" Brennan asked him.

"I don't know Bones, but it isn't looking good." Booth shook his head. This case was supposed to be simple; an identification, an investigation and an arrest. Neither Booth nor Brennan came here prepared for a serial killer and the intensity that type of case brought.

**_Click the button, click, click the button...you know what I want :)_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_I'd just like to say a big thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I really appreicate the comments you've made and I hope this chapter lives up to expectations. jemb_**

The summer sun was high in the sky when Booth, Brennan and Director Wilson arrived at the new scene. The team sent out to do the sweep of the farm had already cordoned off the area and were waiting patiently for the arrival of the forensic anthropologist and their boss.

"Over here Sir!" Mark, the researcher who helped the previous night, called out. Director Wilson guided Brennan and Booth to the spot and held the yellow tape up while the partners ducked underneath.

"How did you find the body?" Brennan asked as she snapped on a fresh pair of latex gloves. Her eyes drifted to the area where the remains were. Only the skull was protruding above the earth where the search team had begun digging.

"I noticed the decomp stain on the soil. I checked the map and there shouldn't be a body within a hundred yards of this spot." A young woman with long wavy blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail stepped over to Brennan to explain the find. "I removed some of the top soil but stopped when I came across the skull." She finished. Brennan crouched down and began to brush away the soil to expose more of the remains. She realised immediately that there was still some flesh on the remains which meant they hadn't been buried as long as the body in the pond.

"Looks female." She announced. "Booth, I'm going to need my bag." She turned on her heels in her crouched position, looking up at him as he stood over her.

"I got it here." He leaned down and picked up the bag, placing it down beside her.

"Director Wilson. I'm going to need a full check of the whole facility." Booth said. "If there are two victims, there could be more."

"I understand. I'll have the staff break into groups and go over every inch." He nodded. "It will take some time though. The farm is spread over 40 acres of a land.

"Take the time you need. If there are more victims we need to find them." Booth explained. "Bones, I'm going to head into town to see the Sheriff. I think he needs to be more involved. This may be the work of a local, someone who is familiar with the facility."

"Okay." Brennan nodded without taking her eyes off the remains. He paused, watching her as she methodically removed tools from her bag to extricate the body from its grave. Sometimes he wondered how she could remain so detached when dealing with the dead but he knew that deep down she felt every victims pain, she just didn't allow others to see that. He was lucky though. Over time she had opened up to him and allowed him to see that she felt each loss. Knowing her history, he felt privileged that she was allowing him inside her walls.

"I'll be back a little later." He added before he started away, heading back to the main facility and where his SUV was parked. Brennan didn't seem to notice his departure; she was too involved with the new remains and the possibility that there may be more victims out there.

XxXxXxXxX

The South Hill Sheriff was surprised to get a visit from Booth. He had been told about the discovery but assumed that since it was under FBI jurisdiction, he wouldn't be involved. As a small town Sheriff, he wasn't used to murder investigations. The most serious crime the town had seen in the last ten years was a brutal assault in a bar three years earlier but that had been solved quickly through eye witness statements.

"What can I do for you Agent Booth?" the Sheriff asked after Booth introduced himself.

"There's a developing situation over at the Virginia Hills Body Farm." Booth explained. "A second set of remains that aren't part of the research were discovered this morning."

"That doesn't sound good." The Sheriff nodded and walked behind his desk, almost throwing himself into the old wooden chair.

"I need to know if there has there been anyone suspicious in town in the last six months or if there is anyone in town you think we should be looking at more closely." Booth asked.

"Not that I can think of." The Sheriff leaned back in his chair and rested his hands over his large stomach. "But a lot of people pass through here, some staying only a day or so. And I don't know of anyone in town who would do something like this. I've lived here my whole life. I know almost everyone."

"Any reports of suspicious activity?" Booth asked as he made some notes in the small notepad he always carried with him.

"I can have my deputy give you copies of our reports. You won't find much there but domestics and shoplifting. We're a small town Agent Booth. Not much happens here."

"Well you might have a serial killer on your hands here so you may want to rethink that philosophy." Booth said gravely. The Sheriff sat up, startled by the possibility.

"Doug!" he yelled loudly. A moment later a young man with a crew cut and buck teeth rushed inside.

"Sheriff?" he asked.

"I want you to get Agent Booth here any information he needs."

"Sure thing Sheriff." Doug nodded.

"Doug here is my brother's son. Best deputy I had in years." The Sheriff said proudly. Booth looked at the young man and raised an eyebrow. He certainly didn't project the image of a good deputy. His shirt was untucked, his badge was hanging crookedly on the front chest pocket and the boy's thin frame had Booth wondering what his fitness level was.

"Doug will see you right." The Sheriff nodded. Booth shrugged and followed the young man out into the main office.

XxXxXxXxX

Back at the body farm, Brennan was working hard to uncover the new remains but the hot sun beating down on her made the work harder than usual, as did the pungent smell of death emanating from the almost completely decomposed remains. She kept stopping to wipe beads of sweat from her forehead and to assess her progress. The extraction was taking longer than Brennan had anticipated due to the hard earth in which the body had been buried. She made a mental note to tell Booth that whoever buried the remains would have to have spent some time doing so. This was not a rush job by any means.

After three hours, Brennan and Laurie, the girl who discovered the remains, had only uncovered half the body. Pausing for a moment, Brennan shed the white shirt she had on over her tank top, draping it over her bag. It didn't make much of a difference though, she still felt just as warm as she had previously.

"Dr Brennan." Laurie drew her attention.

"Yes Laurie?" Brennan turned her head to look at the girl.

"Director Wilson needs me back at the facility for something." She held her cell phone in one hand tightly.

"Uh, sure. You go on. I can manage here." Brennan nodded. She was pretty sure the girl just wanted to get out of the sun for a while and ordinarily Brennan would have been annoyed at the lack of commitment but since she herself wanted nothing more than to be in the cool comfort of an air conditioned lab, she didn't deny the girl.

"Thanks. I'll be back soon." Laurie downed the tools she had been using to help uncover the remains and rose to her feet, disappearing into the woods quickly.

Temperance wasn't alone with the remains for long. Booth returned from town armed with numerous reports to go through and immediately came to find her.

"Still going?" he asked as he sauntered over.

"I should be done soon." Brennan told him, turning her head to look up at her partner.

"How about a break huh?" Booth smiled warmly. He was pretty sure Brennan hadn't stopped all morning.

"Sure." Brennan smiled in response. She was tired and hot and in desperate need of some cold water. Booth turned to grab some water from the cooler beside Brennan's bag as she rose to her feet.

"What did you…get from the Sheriff?" Brennan asked as she stretched her back out and rubbed her temples.

"Not much." Booth replied as he crouched beside the cooler to retrieve the water. "It looks like this town…" He stopped talking the moment he heard the thud. Spinning around he was confronted with the sight of Brennan lying on the ground, one arm thrown out to the side, the other lying across her stomach. Her eyes were closed and her head rolled to the side.

"Bones!" Booth gasped and moved to her side. His hand reached out and took her chin, gently turning her head. "Bones?" he stared down at her and ran a hand over her forehead and down her cheek to her neck, noticing how warm her skin was. He felt for her pulse next, an intense feeling of panic coursing through his body. Her heart was beating a little fast but her pulse was strong none the less.

"Bones, come on, wake up." He gently patted her cheek, encouraging her to wake.

Brennan felt a pounding in her head and heard a familiar voice calling her name. Slowly she blinked her eyes open only to screw them shut again as the bright sun above her stung her sensitive eyes. She drew her arm down and rested her palm on her forehead. She was aware of Booth at her side but she couldn't muster the strength to acknowledge him.

"Bones?" she opened her eyes again to see Booth looking down at her, his face a picture of concern. "Temperance?" he said more firmly when she didn't respond to him.

"I'm okay." She mumbled as she brought both her arms to her sides and pushed her body up off the dirt. She struggled for a moment until she felt Booth's hand at the back of her neck, gently lifting her so she was sitting upright.

"What happened?" he asked, his hand remaining at the back of her neck, his thumb gently caressing her skin as his eyes studied her.

"I…I just got a little…uh dizzy." Brennan explained.

"I think you got too much sun." Booth said softly. "You need to get inside and get some fluids in you."

"Uh huh." Brennan nodded her head, fully agreeing with Booth.

"Let's get you up huh?" he smiled and slipped his hands under her arms, effortlessly hoisting her to her feet. Once standing, she wavered a little and grasped Booth's upper arms for support. Even in her disoriented state, she noticed how big his muscles were and immediately she felt secure, knowing he wouldn't let her fall down. As she tried to find her feet, she felt Booth secure his arm around her waist, keeping her steady. She lowered one hand to grasp his, the other moving up to rest on his shoulder.

"I'm fine." She nodded.

"Let's take this slow, okay?" He started to walk her away from the remains in the direction of where his SUV was parked about a mile away. Director Wilson did not allow vehicles onto the body farm because they might contaminate the research.

Taking slow deliberate steps as she regained her balance, Booth questioned Brennan, wanting to find out just how long she had been exposed to the hot summer sun.

"Have you been out here since I left?" he asked.

"Yes." She nodded. "I guess I didn't realise how long it had been." Her knees suddenly weakened and she stumbled but Booth tightened his hold and kept her on her feet.

"You're alright Bones." He pulled her body closer to his and slowed their pace a little.

"I should have paid more attention." She smiled weakly. "I know the dangers of overexposure to high temperatures."

"You were focused on your work Bones." Booth understood how easy it was for Brennan to lose track of what was going on around her when she was involved in her work. He had long since given up telling her off for not taking breaks; she rarely listened.

"I should still know better." She sighed heavily and leaned on Booth as another wave of dizziness washed over her. It lasted longer than she expected and she felt her eyes blur and her mind go blank. Once again her knees buckled and the only reason she didn't hit the ground was Booth holding her up and taking all her weight. He acted quickly, slipping his arm under her legs and lifting her off her feet and into his arms.

"Bones?" he looked down at her. She seemed to be fighting unconsciousness; her eyes moving rapidly behind her closed lids. "I got you Bones, I got you." He said softly as he resumed walking, slowly but at a steady pace. He was momentarily surprised that Brennan wasn't protesting his 'rescue' but he knew she realised she needed the help. He also believed that Temperance knew him well enough to know he would never think less of her for needing help.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled as she rested her heavy head on his shoulder, unable to summon the strength to hold it up.

"You can buy me dinner later to say thanks." He joked lightly. The small laugh she let out led him to believe she was going to be fine but he still wanted to get her back to the main facility for medical attention. So with Brennan cradled in his arms, he increased his pace to get her to his SUV quickly.

**_I hope that satisfied the fluff bunny inside you._**


	5. Chapter 5

_**I'm trying to branch out with this story. I wanted to include more scenes with the squints so this chapter is entirely about them. It's not long but develops the characters a little. It's the first time I've really written about them so I'd appreciate any feedback I can use to write them better in future chapters.**_

With a heavy sigh, Angela Montenegro finished up the sketch she was working on and gently laid down her sketchpad. The image before her was of a young woman. She had drawn her with a smile and bright eyes because someone so young deserved to be happy, despite the circumstances of her death. A sad smile crossed Angela's face as she thought back to the reason she was doing this drawing. The young woman's remains had been recovered in the Potomac by DC Police early that morning and brought to the Jeffersonian for identification. The youngest member of the team, the newly appointed Dr Zach Addy, had revelled in being the forensic anthropologist assigned to identify the remains. Angela had earlier watched him methodically examine the remains and record his findings. For a while, Angela had been worried that Zach was too comfortable in Brennan's shadow. But his recent behaviour had shown her that he was beginning to step out from that shadow and establish himself as a forensic anthropologist in his own right.

"Angela?" she was broken from her thoughts by her current and hopefully permanent beau, Dr Jack Hodgins, bug man extraordinaire.

"Hey Jack." Her smile warmed as he walked over to her side and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Dr Brennan's remains from the body farm just arrived." He glanced down at the drawing before Angela and reached out with his other hand to touch the paper. "Is this her?"

"Yes." Angela nods. "Dental records confirmed her identity as Janey Wright. She was a student at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. Zach confirmed she committed suicide." Angela nodded sadly.

"She must have been going through something terrible to take such drastic measures."

"She was so young, so full of life. I can't imagine being in the state of mind where I would want to end it all." Angela shook her head. The young artist was one of the most vibrant personalities at the Jeffersonian and frequently stood out from the rest because of her unique approach to life.

"It's sad but it happens. At least now her family can say their goodbyes and lay her to rest properly." Jack leaned down and kissed her cheek softly, tickling her skin with the bristles of his beard. "Come on, I don't want to leave Zach alone with those remains for long, you know how he likes to name them."

"I'll be right there Jack." Angela looked up at her partner and smiled. "I just need to file these away for the DCPD." She gestured to the report and sketch on the desk.

"Okay, don't be long." Jack slowly moved away from her, lifting his hand from her shoulder. Angela nodded and turned her attention to the report. As Jack headed out to find Zach and the remains, he wondered why Angela stuck out this job when it always affected her so deeply. She was an artist at heart. She never intended to make this her career. Yet something kept her here and Jack wasn't sure if that was the people she worked with or the results of what they did here and how much they helped the relatives of murder victims. Either way, he was glad she had stayed. Otherwise, he would never have found his true love.

"So Zach, what did Dr Brennan send me?" Hodgins strode up to the centre platform where Zach had just finished unpacking the remains. The young Doctor gestured to a side table where several glass jars and evidence bags were sitting.

"Dude, I just love pond water. All that ammonia, nitrogen, orthophosphate… " Hodgins grinned as he lifted a small glass jar containing a murky liquid and began to scrutinise the particles floating in the jar. Zach glanced over at him and raised an eyebrow at Hodgins obvious enthusiasm.

"Booth called." Zach stood up from his hunched position over the remains. "Another body was found out at the body farm. Once Dr Brennan has retrieved the remains she'll be sending those here too."

"Another body." Hodgins raised his eyebrows.

"Another what?" Angela asked as she climbed the stairs to join the two men.

"Dr Brennan will be sending another body. It appears that the victim in the pond is not the only victim." Zach explained.

"Did she say anything else Zach?" Angela asked.

"It was Booth who called. He said something about too much sun and Dr Brennan owing him dinner." Angela looked at Zach questioningly. "Booth said she'll call you later tonight when they've had a chance to look through the missing persons' reports."

"Thanks Zach. So, when can I get the skull?" Angela gave the remains a once over before returning her gaze to look at Zach.

"I need an hour." He nodded.

"Well, in that case, I'm going to get some coffee. I think I'm going to need it." She sighed and retreated from the platform. Her mind began to piece together the little bits of information and she realised that the team was most likely dealing with a serial killer. Those cases tended to drag on with long days and little sleep. She did not enjoy that part of the job. But when they solved the case and gave the victims their identities back, she always felt a little rush. Knowing she had a hand in putting a killer behind bars made her feel like she was truly doing something worthwhile. All the bad things about her job seemed to melt away and she thought only of the good.

"Hey Ang!" Jack called out to her just as she was about to step through the sliding glass doors. She paused and turned.

"Any chance you could bring me back a donught?" he grinned. Angela rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. With a quick nod of her head she took off, leaving Hodgins and Zach to go through all the evidence.


	6. Chapter 6

_**I realise it has been a very long time since I updated this story. My apologises for keeping you waiting. I have to admit I'm still not 100 percent happy with the chapter but like an artist, my work is never complete. I'm sending a big thank you to Niah1988 who helped me (even though she doesn't think she did). Your opinion means a lot, so thanks. **_

An hour after returning to the main facility at the Virginia Hills Body Farm, Temperance was feeling a lot better although she still had a dull headache. Director Wilson had asked one of his colleagues, Dr Philips, a medical examiner, to check her over. Dr Philips announced she was simply suffering from Heat Exhaustion, a mild form of Heat Stroke.

"Just remain indoors for the rest of the day and drink plenty of water. If you start to feel any dizziness or nausea, give me a call." He handed Booth a card with his number on it.

"What about the remains?" Brennan asked, sitting up a little on the couch in Director Wilson's office where Booth had set her down when they arrived.

"Don't you worry about that." Director Wilson smiled. "Laurie has gone back and covered up the remains. You can start fresh tomorrow." For a moment Brennan looked like she was going to protest and insist on returning to finish the job but as her mouth opened to speak, she paused then closed her lips and leaned back against the arm of the couch.

"It's fine Bones." Booth assured her. "We have all these reports to look through tonight anyway." Booth understood how Brennan was feeling and he knew that if she had something to work on she wouldn't worry too much about the second victim still partially buried out in the farm.

"You're right." Brennan nodded as she brought a cold bottle of water to her lips to take a sip. Booth noticed how her hand shook and he couldn't help but feel concern. He wasn't used to seeing Brennan vulnerable and it worried him to see her weakened.

"I should get you back to the motel." He announced. Brennan screwed the cap on the water bottle and laid it down on the couch before swinging her legs around and sitting upright. She grasped Booth's outstretched hands and let him pull her to her feet. He held onto her elbow but allowed her to otherwise stand on her own two feet. She threw him a grateful smile before turning to Dr Philips.

"Thank you. For…" she trailed off, feeling a little guilty for dragging him out from his office in town.

"You're welcome Dr Brennan. Just promise me you'll be more careful out in the sun. This time of year it doesn't take much to suffer dehydration and Heat Stroke." Dr Philips smiled and shook hands with Director Wilson before heading out the office.

"You good to go Bones?" Booth asked. His eyes scanned her face as she nodded a 'yes'. Satisfied with her answer, he thanked Dr. Philips again and led Brennan to the door, his hand resting comfortable on the small of her back.

XxXxXxXxX

As the sun began to set, Brennan sat comfortably on the bed in her motel room, a cold bottle of water unopened at her side. In front of her, her laptop was set up and she was scrolling through the missing persons reports, not for the first time thinking how tragic it was that so many people were missing. A knock at the door broke her from her thoughts.

"It's open!" she called. A moment later the door swung open and Booth stepped inside, a pizza box in one hand, a six pack of beer in the other.

"Hungry?" he asked. Brennan inhaled the aroma emanating from the pizza box and momentarily closed her eyes. "I'll take that as a yes." Booth grinned and walked over to the bed, placing the pizza and beers on it before making himself comfortable at the top near the headboard.

"It's a long list." Brennan told him as she closed the laptop. "Hopefully Angela can get us a face tonight." She rubbed her temples, a dull ache pulsing through her head.

"She's good and like you said, the skull was intact, so I'm sure she will." Booth said as he leaned forward and opened the pizza box. Brennan eyed the double cheese and mushroom pizza longingly and a hand subconsciously went to cover her stomach. Booth pushed the box towards her and she gratefully pulled the first slice away, bringing it straight to her mouth.

"What happened to me owing you dinner?" she asked when she had swallowed her first bite.

"Oh, you still do. But I'm not letting you get off with pizza for that. I want a proper dinner." Booth grinned. "I'm talking a dressed up, fancy restaurant and dancing kind of dinner." He smiled wickedly and Brennan stared at him, slightly taken aback by his words. It sounded like a date to her. But Booth was only her partner, her friend. _Friends don't have dinners like that…do they?_ Brennan shook her head. She was probably imagining things because of the Heat Exhaustion.

XxXxXxXxX

One pizza, four beers and a few hours of working in companionable silence with Brennan, Booth was done.

"There's nothing in these reports." He sighed in frustration and tossed the last file onto the bed beside the other discarded ones. Beside him Brennan sighed heavily. "The Sheriff was right. There is not a single report to suggest anyone graduating from smaller crimes to murder."

"I'm going to call Angela. She should have something for us by now." Brennan reached for her cell and punched in Angela's number at the Jeffersonian. Booth folded his hands behind his head and leaned back against the headboard, closing his eyes.

"Angela, it's me." Brennan said when Angela picked up. "Have you worked on the skull?" She paused, listening to Angela. "That's good. Can you send it to me?" Brennan glanced over at Booth and smiled. "No, he's sleeping." She laughed.

"I am not sleeping." Booth replied but he didn't open his eyes.

"Sorry, he's just 'resting his eyes'." Brennan laughed, receiving in return, a playful glare from Booth. She began to tap at the laptop with both hands, cradling the phone between her ear and shoulder.

"I got it." She said to Angela.

"Is this him?" Booth asked, leaning across the bed to get a look at the uploaded image of a young man on the screen. He had delicate features, high cheekbones and thin lips.

"Yeah." She replied to Booth. "Are there any matches from the missing person's reports?" she asked Angela. After a moment she sighed and Booth realised the face did not match any of the reports.

"Tell Angela to expand the search national. This kid may not have been from around here." Booth said. Brennan nodded.

"Did you hear that Ang? Great. I'll be back on site tomorrow morning to retrieve the second set of remains. They appear to be female, roughly forty to fifty years old. Can you start pulling missing persons reports."

As Brennan continued to speak with Angela, Booth heaved himself off the bed and gestured to Brennan that he would back. As comfortable as he was around Brennan, that comfort didn't extend to using her bathroom. She waved in acknowledgement and continued her conversation with Angela. The last thing Booth heard as he walked out the door was Brennan assuring Angela she just had a little too much sun and Booth overreacted. He chuckled as he closed the door and headed to his own room. Obviously Zach had relayed his message and Angela, as usual, was concerned for her friend.

When Booth returned some thirty minutes later, having made a goodnight call to his son, he found Brennan asleep on the bed lying on her side, one hand under the pillow, the other still clutching her cell phone. Standing in the doorway, Booth smiled at the sight. Brennan was a force to be reckoned with when she was a wake but somehow, in sleep, she looked so peaceful and innocent. He stood watching her for a moment before stepping inside and closing the door behind him to keep out the cool night air.

Not wanting to wake her, Booth crept over to the bed and picked up the laptop computer from near Temperance's feet. After setting it down on the chair in the corner, he moved back over to the bed and quietly bundled all the police reports together. His eyes kept drifting to Brennan, checking she was still asleep. She had put up a brave front but he knew she was tired as they worked on the reports and she needed a lot of rest for continuing the retrieval of the remains in the morning. When he was done clearing the bed, he knelt on it with one knee, leaned over and pried the cell phone from her hand. As he gently pulled her fingers back to release the phone, Brennan mumbled something unintelligible and shifted slightly, but did not wake. Booth got back off the bed and set the phone down on the small beside table then glanced around the room and spotted what he was looking for; a striped blanket sitting folded up on the dresser. After unfolding it Booth walked around to Brennan's side of the bed and gently draped the blanket over her body. He couldn't resist tucking a loose lock of hair behind her ear and as he drew his hand back, he allowed his fingers to caress her cheek softly. Knowing his attention may stir her from sleep, Booth pulled back and rubbed his face. Sometimes he hated how she made him feel. He knew he couldn't touch her like that when she was awake but only being able to get that close to her when she slept made him feel like a creepy voyeur. His thoughts drifted to the prospect of a real dinner with Brennan. Maybe through that he would be able to get closer to Brennan for real and not just while she slept, oblivious to his lingering attention.

XxXxXxXxX

First thing in the morning, Booth and Brennan headed straight back to the Body Farm with the intention of retrieving the second set of remains as quickly as possible. With no progress on the identification of the first victim, Brennan knew the clue to who was responsible could lie with the second. They found the Director pacing back and forth as he waited for them at the entrance, a strained look on his face.

"Dr Brennan." He walked quickly to meet them. "Agent Booth."

"Is something wrong?" Brennan asked. She didn't need Booth's expertise in body language to know that the Director was troubled.

"My team were working through the night to survey the farm for other remains. I'm afraid to say we found more." He shook his head, visibly distraught.

"More?" Booth asked.

"Three more victims so far." Brennan glanced over at Booth and they shared a look, one that they each knew meant things were about to get a whole lot more complicated.

"I'd like to see them." Brennan requested.

"Of course." Director Wilson nodded. Booth placed his hand on Brennan's lower back as they started out the room. Just as they reached the door, it swung open and a pale skinned middle aged man with a receding hairline burst through.

"What the hell is going on?" the man yelled at the Director.

"Calm down Tim." Director Wilson held his hands up and spoke softly. "There's been an incident."

"What kind of incident warrants all your students running around my farm? And who are these people." He gestured at Booth and Brennan, giving them a condescending look.

"I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth. This is my partner Dr Temperance Brennan." Booth stepped forward and flashed his badge. "Who are you?" he asked in return.

"Agent Booth, this is Dr Timothy James, my head researcher." Director Wilson explained.

"Dr James, my partner and I were called out here when a set of remains were discovered that Director Wilson informs us were not part of the research." Booth explained.

"What?" Dr James exclaimed.

"Tim, we've discovered four other sets of remains on the farm." the Director explained.

"I don't understand what you're telling me." Dr James shook his head and looked flustered, his pale cheeks filling with colour.

"What we're telling you is that someone murdered five people and buried them on your body farm." Booth stated. Dr James looked stunned for a moment then he held a hand to his temple and shook his head.

"I go on vacation for one week." he sighed.

"Tim, we were just heading out to examine the newly discovered remains. Will you accompany us." Director Wilson's question was really more of an order and Dr James realised it, quickly nodding his head in agreement.

**_Feel like leaving a review?_**


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